Christenings and Baptisms

Christenings at Mellor Church

It is always a joy to hold a christening at our church. Christenings are also called baptisms – two different words for the same thing.

We hope the following may begin to answer some of your questions:

When do Christenings take place?

The Christening could either take place during our main service which starts at 10 am on a Sunday, or it could be in a separate service, usually at 12.30 pm on a Sunday.

The 10 am service is longer (approximately an hour and a quarter) and it also includes a communion service for our regular congregation.

The separate service at 12.30 pm would be much shorter (20-25 minutes) and the congregation would just be those you invite. If you have a large number of guests this may be the better option.

How much does it cost?

There is no charge for a baptism service.

What age should you be for a Christening?

You can be baptised at any age from a few days old, to 100+!

Who can be baptised at Mellor church?

Most of our baptisms are for families who live in Mellor and Marple Bridge, but if you live elsewhere and have a meaningful connection here (even if you have visited and fallen in love with the place) you are welcome to arrange a baptism here.

You are also welcome, whether or not you are members of a church and whether or not you, the child’s parents, have been baptised. However, there is a requirement that Godparents should have been baptised themselves before they can act as a Godparent to someone else. If you are uncertain, please do contact the Vicar who will talk it through with you.

What should I do next?

If you want to arrange a date, please contact the Parish Office: weekday mornings on 0161 484 5079 or office@mellorchurch.org

For any other queries, please contact the Vicar  and he will be happy to answer your questions. The Vicar will arrange to meet you in preparation for the baptism service.

You might also be interested to explore this Church of England website on Christenings.